The competition has given the 49-year-old some of the biggest thrills and most crushing disappointments of his football career to date as he prepares to send the Premier League side into battle with League Two minnows Stevenage in a classic cup-tie on Saturday evening. Pardew, whose strike had sealed a famous 4-3 semi-final victory over Liverpool, was a member of the Crystal Palace team which came within seven minutes of an extra-time victory over Manchester United in the 1990 final at Wembley before Mark Hughes' 113th-minute equaliser secured a replay which the Old Trafford club won 1-0. He came even closer as West Ham manager 16 years later when, with his side leading 3-2 in injury-time, Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard struck from distance to take the game into extra-time and ultimately, a penalty shoot-out which went the way of the Merseysiders. Pardew said: "I have been so close on two occasions to winning it. I was seven minutes away and maybe injury-time away when I was manager at West Ham, so I hope it is third time lucky for me. "But this is a tough game for us. The other rounds fall nicely for us - you have got a week's preparation before the games. "This one is on the back of a really tough run for us. Stevenage haven't had a midweek game, so it worries me, if I am honest. "We have got to be really, really strong on Saturday to make sure we get through this round." Newcastle's overwhelming priority this season is Barclays Premier League survival, and they have taken a significant stride towards that in the last week with successive victories over Wigan and West Ham, the latter a thrilling 5-0 drubbing at St James' Park. But the FA Cup holds a special place in Geordie hearts, despite the fact that the last of their six triumphs in the competition came in 1955, six years before Pardew was born. There is, of course, history between the two clubs with the Magpies having famously visited Broadhall Lane - now known as the Lamex Stadium - back in January 1998 in the fourth round. After days of debate over the suitability of the stadium to host the game which saw the Premier League outfit cast in the role of bullies, Magpies talisman Alan Shearer set the visitors on their way with a third-minute opener as he confirmed his return from the ankle injury which had sidelined him for six months. However, Giuliano Grazioli's first-half equaliser secured a deserved draw and it took a Shearer double in the replay on Tyneside to send Newcastle through by the narrowest of margins on their way to the final. Stevenage were a non-league outfit in those days, and Pardew is expecting an equally tough test this time around, especially with strikers Andy Carroll and Shola Ameobi missing and midweek hat-trick hero Leon Best facing a race against time to be fit. He said: "I have been down the levels, I know what it is to those clubs and I will try to get that message across. "You can't always get it in place, but hopefully we will have enough application and commitment to match theirs, and then our quality will win the game."
